


Close to Her

by littlbunnybun



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, F/F, First Crush, First Love, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2016-06-25
Packaged: 2018-06-07 07:24:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 15,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6793372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlbunnybun/pseuds/littlbunnybun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set after the events of "Too Far", Steven overhears Peridot recording her secret feelings for Amethyst. Meanwhile, Amethyst may have some feelings of her own for the Homeworld gem. Will the two overcome their insecurities in order to be together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Feelings

The sun set on the third day of working on the drill. The Crystal Gems and Peridot decided to call it a night and headed back to the temple. As the gems each retreated to their respective rooms, Peridot settled in her temporary bathroom home. She was no longer confined to it, but she did not really know where else to go. Plus, it wasn’t really so bad. It was a small and private place for her to stay.

Peridot quietly shut and locked the door behind her. Crawling into the bathtub, she carefully closed the shower curtain around her. It had been an exhausting day. Not only physically, but mentally. Trying to understand the Earth and its customs, the concept of hurt feelings, and the difficult task of apology left her tired. Peridot sat down in a corner and fiddled with her tape recorder, attempted to process all that had happened.

The day had been going poorly until Steven and Amethyst accompanied her to the Kindergarten. Peridot was making Amethyst laugh, talking about the other Crystal Gems and their various defects.

But things started to go downhill once again when Peridot commented on how Amethyst was the only Crystal Gem who was actually a gem. At the time, Peridot saw no harm in the comment. She never imagined Amethyst would be upset just because she had remarked that the quartz gem had stayed in the ground too long and that’s why she was small. She only wanted to make her laugh.

After that, Amethyst started ignoring her. This produced an awful feeling that Peridot could only describe as “small”. It was a feeling she loathed and hoped to always avoid.

Steven told Peridot that she had hurt Amethyst’s feelings and that she should apologize. Peridot still didn’t understand, but she didn’t like the idea of hurting Amethyst. She needed to see her laugh and smile again. It took all the courage she could muster, but Peridot managed to record a sincere apology for her on her tape recorder, which she played for Amethyst and Steven. When Amethyst smiled and thanked her, she felt so happy and relieved. Then Amethyst added that she was “still a nerd”.

Peridot began to feel frustrated all over again. “What does that even mean?” she quietly grumbled to herself.

She pressed the red button on her tape recorder.

“Log date 7112. The Crystal Gems and their ‘feelings’ continue to confound me. Their preoccupation with ‘feelings’ are illogical and serve no useful function,” she paused, a sense of being ashamed overcame her. “However, I fear I am beginning to succumb to their ways. Making the Amethyst laugh gave me …good feelings. Apologizing to her for my error made me feel big. Bigger than I have felt on this gem-forsaken planet so far.”

Feeling a little self-conscious, Peridot hesitated for a moment. She reminded herself that these were her logs and she was free to record what she wanted. No one would hear them. She never let the tape recorder out of her sight for a second.

She sighed. “I am currently having recurring thoughts about her for no apparent reason,” she continued, thinking about Amethyst and her smile again. “My temperature readings seem to elevate when I am in her presence. What is most peculiar is that I don’t really want these feelings to stop.”

Suddenly, she was interrupted by a small voice.

“Um, Peridot?”

Peridot jumped. Scrambling to hit the stop button on her tape recorder, she silently hoped no one had heard anything. Slowly, she peeked out from behind the shower curtain. At the bathroom sink stood a familiar little boy in his pajamas.

“What are you doing in here!?” she demanded.

“I have to brush my teeth,” explained Steven.

Peridot was confused. She hadn’t even heard him come in. “But…how did you even get in here?”

Steven set his toothbrush down. “Oh, I have my ways,” he replied, simply. A smirk appeared on his face. “So, what was that about Amethyst?”

She panicked. _How much had he heard?_ Peridot wished she could just disappear.

“It was nothing!” Peridot stammered. “Continue—whatever it is you were doing!”

“It’s okay, Peridot,” Steven said, stepping towards her. “You know, it’s fine to feel that way about someone.”

“What way?” Peridot demanded angrily, climbing out of the bathtub.

He grinned. “You _like_ her.”

“Like…?”

“You know,” he said. “Having a crush on someone.”

She was thoroughly confused now, and was getting more than a little anxious about where he was going with this. “ _Crush_ on her?” she laughed, nervously. “Why would I do such a thing? Didn’t you see how I saved her from the drill today?”

“No, no,” Steven laughed. “On Earth, we say you have a crush on someone when you like them a lot. But not just in a friendship way, in a romantic way. Like Ruby and Sapphire. Or my mom and dad.”

Peridot’s anxious smile disappeared. Her face flushed. She started to feel dizzy.

_That can’t be it. Can it?_

She and Amethyst? She, a lowly peridot and a gem warrior? What a laughable concept. But if Peridot did _like_ her, as Steven was hinting at, no one could ever know.

“Are you okay, Peridot?”

The small green gem snapped back to reality. Her immediate reaction was to grab Steven by the collar of his pajamas.

“Listen, you little clod! I may find Amethyst’s qualities respectable, being that she is defective yet possesses the same capabilities of a normal quartz, but I do NOT…” Peridot shuddered, “… _like_ her.”

She kept her grip on Steven for a few more seconds before letting him go, his face now an expression of concern rather than amusement. For a few moments, there was silence between them. Peridot turned away, considering what she was feeling and knowing nothing but shame.

“I mean, it sounds to me like you might,” Steven said gently. “What you were saying about you thinking about her all the time, and feeling warm, and how she makes you happy. That’s sometimes what it means.”

One part of the day in particular flashed into Peridot’s mind: how she broke free from the leash Garnet had put on her just in time to save Amethyst from the runaway drill. Awkwardly enough, she had toppled onto Amethyst after the rescue. She thought about how uncomfortable the whole encounter was, but that feeling of Amethyst so close to her was...

The realization washed over her. 

She would need to try her best to hide it.

Staring at the floor, Peridot walked back into the bathtub, closing the curtain behind her once again. She found her usual spot in the corner and curled up. “Well, I think you’re mistaken,” she said quietly, but loud enough for him to hear.

Steven silently shrugged his shoulders, and went back to brushing his teeth.


	2. Smile

Amethyst entered her room for the evening. Surrounding her were the piles of stuff she had amassed over her many years on earth. She felt worn out as she walked through it all, eager just to find her bed and allow sleep to provide an escape from the day’s events. She passed by her mountains of treasures, her many possessions usually providing her some level of comfort. But tonight, as she walked she pondered how the room seemed especially quiet and lonely. Her mind wandered. 

Earlier that day, she had been goofing around with Peridot and Steven. As it turned out, Peridot was actually pretty funny. Amethyst was amused by the names she used for various tools and body parts, and found her observations about the other gems to be hilarious.

_Funny? Peridot? Who would have thought?_

She was being funny. Amethyst frowned. That is, until she reminded Amethyst of her unfortunate origins, and revealed some new information to her that she hadn’t heard before. She said that Amethyst was a defective quartz gem, and that she was made to be a soldier whose sole purpose was to fight. She even went as far as to say that she was wrong “gemetically speaking”.

It hurt. It hurt knowing what she was supposed to be, and that she was defective. 

Amethyst could hardly stand to be around her for the rest of the day. Peridot was obviously not aware of the effects of her words, but Amethyst didn’t care.

The purple gem sat down on the edge of her disheveled, unmade bed. She considered now how Peridot later jumped in front of the runaway drill to save her. And after all of the unfortunate events of the day, Peridot apologized to Amethyst for hurting her feelings. She knew Steven had probably told her to. But it was a nice gesture anyway.

Laying down and getting under the covers, Amethyst had one particular part of the day stuck in her mind that she could not shake. Following all that had happened, it was seemingly insignificant. But after Peridot saved her from the drill, there was a bit of an awkward encounter when Amethyst found the green gem had stumbled and landed on top of her. Peridot was quick to get off and say that it was an accident. But secretly, Amethyst didn’t really mind. It was such a weird feeling.

Amethyst abruptly cut off her train of thought and pulled the covers over her head. _What’s with me lately?_ she wondered, frustrated with herself. This was all new to her.

As she hid under the covers, her mind kept drifting to the situation at hand. Despite originally being an enemy of the Crystal Gems, Peridot was okay. Maybe a little more than okay. She respected Amethyst. Peridot admired her in a way that no one had before. Amethyst had never really gotten recognition like that before. She was so used to Pearl and Garnet criticizing her for everything she did. It was nice to have some respect for a change.

Though Amethyst had been upset with her earlier, it was a little amusing how Peridot kept trying to get her attention throughout the course of the day. Amethyst’s last thoughts of the night were of Peridot and the series of logs she kept on her tape recorder.

“What a nerd,” she chuckled to herself. Drifting off to sleep, she had a slight smile on her face.


	3. Breakfast

When morning arrived, Peridot exited the bathroom, ready for another day of work on the drill. Expecting to find all the Crystal Gems in the living room and head over to the barn, she entered the kitchen only to find two of them. A strange, sweet smell filled the air. Steven was at the stove with an apron on, cooking something. Amethyst sat beside him on the countertop.

“Morning, Peridot!” Steven greeted cheerfully. Batter was splashed on the front of his apron and spattered over the stove area.

“Want some pancakes? Steven’s getting really good at making them,” Amethyst said as Steven flipped a golden-brown cake onto a plate.

Peridot eyed them skeptically. “What are ‘pan-cakes’?” she asked.

Amethyst grabbed the plate along with a fork and jumped down from the counter. “Don’t worry about it, just try them!”

“No thanks.”

“Come on! They’re really good,” Amethyst urged, cutting off a piece of pancake with a fork and heading towards Peridot. Knowing she likely had not experienced the wonders of eating before, Amethyst really wanted to see how the Homeworld gem reacted to the food. “They’re chocolate chip, that’s the best kind.”

Peridot was unsure about the concept of eating. She had seen Amethyst and Steven do it multiple times while she was staying with them, but it was unlike anything she had done on Homeworld. If it wasn’t necessary for gems to eat (with the exception of Steven), why would she do it? Peridot kept her mouth firmly closed. 

“Open up, nerd,” teased Amethyst. She wanted to see how far she could take this. Much like with Pearl, she found playfully tormenting Peridot to be a lot of fun.

Peridot silently shook her head. Amethyst put her free arm around her in an attempt to constrain her. Peridot immediately tensed up and began to get a bit flustered.

“It’s yummyyy…” Amethyst coaxed, making the fork come closer to Peridot’s mouth, as if she were spoon-feeding an infant. 

Peridot’s face felt warm. Her legs began to feel unsteady. The sound of Amethyst’s voice. The feel of her skin, her body next to hers…she could hardly stand it. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Steven smiling and giggling at them from the kitchen. _Ugh. He’s making it worse!_

Peridot finally gave in. She allowed Amethyst to feed her the bit of pancake, hesitating at first, then chewing it. It was strange initially, which she had expected. Then the sweet, syrupy taste started to overwhelm her senses.

“Well, what do you think?” Amethyst asked.

Peridot considered what she had just eaten. “It was…not unpleasant.”

“I told you!” she laughed, satisfied with her reaction.

Peridot couldn’t help beginning to smile as well. Amethyst’s good-natured teasing could be a bit annoying at times, but it was something she was willing to put up with. Anything to make her laugh.

“There’s more where that came from!” Steven announced proudly, sliding the last pancake onto a plate.

Peridot tentatively took a place at the table where Steven served them. As they ate, Amethyst and Steven laughed and talked. Pearl soon arrived and tidied up the mess they had made.

The green gem found herself gazing at Amethyst, everything else around her just fading into the background. She picked at the food on her plate, feeling confused. The feelings Amethyst was making her experience were completely new to her. She had been so uneasy when the purple gem held her close like that. But at the same time, Peridot wanted more. She wanted to like it, and not to feel so uncomfortable.

At one point during breakfast, Steven caught her looking at Amethyst. Peridot quickly glanced away as if nothing had happened.

“Alright, let’s head to the barn,” Peridot heard Garnet announce. The five gems all headed out the door on their way. As Peridot and Steven trailed behind the group, Peridot could feel the little boy looking at her.

“What?” she growled.

“Nothing,” he replied, innocently yet knowingly.


	4. Exceptional

The morning passed by uneventfully. As afternoon finally rolled around, Amethyst was resting in the grass near the barn. She stared blankly up at the blue sky and the clouds passing overhead, bored. She was there to help with the drill project how she could, doing things like gathering parts or supplies the others needed. But since she wasn’t an engineer like Pearl or Peridot, there wasn’t much else to do at the moment.

Amethyst sighed. Sitting up in the grass, she looked around. Garnet and Steven were nearby, watching as Pearl drew some design modifications for the drill on the chalkboard. Meanwhile, Peridot was busily working on the control panel of the drill. Maybe talking with her would provide some entertainment, Amethyst decided. She got up and began walking over to the green gem.

“Hey Peri!” Amethyst greeted.

The technician, obviously taken by surprise, straightened up immediately and turned around. The purple gem smiled at her.

“Oh, h-hi Amethyst,” she stammered. “Can I…help you with something?”

“Nah, I just figured I’d come watch you work,” Amethyst said, taking a seat nearby on the ground.

“Oh…alright then,” Peridot said, seeming a bit uneasy, then turning back to resume her work. Since she broke her leash yesterday, Garnet decided it would probably be fine if she went without it, as long as she was still being supervised by the other Gems to some extent.

Amethyst was beginning to pick up on how Peridot seemed slightly nervous around her since the day before. She didn’t know why; it wasn’t as if she was currently a threat to her. Truthfully, Amethyst thought it was dorky and cute. It was just so strange how she only acted like this around her and not any of the other Crystal Gems.

“So where’d you learn to do all this stuff?” inquired Amethyst, her chin resting in her hands. She thought perhaps asking Peridot questions and talking with her would make her more comfortable around her.

“Well, peridots are natural technicians on Homeworld,” Peridot explained, rearranging some wiring within the machine. “All gems go through training after they emerge according to their types. Peridots receive technical training. That is where I acquired the majority of my skills.”

“Huh,” Amethyst remarked, then paused. Having been made on Earth, she really had little knowledge of Homeworld or how things worked there. In all her years with them, Pearl, Garnet, and Rose Quartz never really spoke about their home planet. After bringing up the subject with them a few times, she could tell it wasn’t something they really wanted to discuss, so she dropped it altogether. “Is that how you started working for Yellow Diamond?”

Peridot stopped what she was doing and turned to Amethyst. “I suppose so. When I finished my training I was selected for a special mission for her,” she said with a bit of pride in her voice. “I was chosen because I displayed a superior aptitude for technology out of all my peers.” She then got a little sheepish, expecting Amethyst to make some kind of comment about her being a nerd again.

“I knew you were smart, but dang!” exclaimed Amethyst. “That’s impressive, Peri.”

Peridot smiled, looking down. “Thank you.”

Based on her responses, Amethyst decided it would be okay to ask Peridot more about her planet of origin. Perhaps she could get some of the questions she had been wondering about answered. “So what do amethysts do on Homeworld?” she asked.

“After emerging they also go into training,” Peridot responded. “They’re trained in combat and weaponry along with the other quartz gems.”

She continued speaking, further explaining the preparation quartz gems went through and their role as soldiers for the planet. As she listened, Amethyst’s expression of contentment slowly faded. Her mind wandered to something that had been bothering her. Because of her origins in the Kindergarten, she always knew she was created to be something bad. From the events of the day before, she learned that she was defective as well. She learned that Peridot saw her as defective. She pondered her existence as a bad, defective gem.

“Peridot, what do you think about me?” Amethyst suddenly blurted out.

Peridot stopped speaking. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I know I’m not as big or tall as the other quartzes you’re used to seeing back on Homeworld,” Amethyst said, chuckling nervously. Then she got quiet. “But do you think I’m…okay?”

Peridot froze up. “I’m in no position to make any sort of evaluation…”

“No, come on! I’m curious.”

Peridot jumped down from the drill. Picking up a nearby screwdriver off the ground, she began turning it over in her hands. “Well, considering your… _smaller_ stature,” Peridot began, trying her best not to offend her again, “I’d say your abilities are equivalent or perhaps even exceed those of many of the quartzes on Homeworld.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Peridot replied. “Honestly, quartz gems in general have a reputation for being a bit…brash and unpleasant. But you aren’t like them. In fact, my personal assessment finds you to be…” she looked up and met Amethyst’s eyes for a moment. The purple gem’s gaze was so trusting. So encouraging. Similarly, Peridot felt safe in her eyes, as if she could tell her anything. She decided to tell her the truth. The first word that came to mind. “…exceptional.”

“Exceptional?” Amethyst grinned. “You mean it?”

“Of course,” Peridot responded, adding a smile.

“Aw, thanks Peri,” she said, blushing just slightly. “I think you’re exceptional, too.”

Peridot beamed. “Thank you, Amethyst.”

The two gems sat quietly for a moment. Amethyst, realizing how quiet the atmosphere had become, had an idea for some comic relief. She got up and went over to Peridot, whose eyes widened at Amethyst’s approach, not knowing what to expect.

“Have you ever seen a quartz do…this!?” Amethyst poked Peridot in the sides, hard.

“AH! What are you--?”

Before she could finish, Amethyst began tickling her. Peridot yelped in surprise before collapsing to the ground in laughter. Amethyst started giggling along with her. It was quite a sight, the normally serious gem succumbing to a laughing fit. She would give it a rest soon, but for now, the look on her face was the best thing in the world.

Plus she couldn’t help but feel that Peridot was so adorable being tickled.


	5. Onlookers

Busily drawing and writing notes on the chalkboard, Pearl was lost in thought. She was explaining her ideas for perfecting the drill’s design to Garnet and Steven. She had come up with additional ways to protect them from the high temperatures they would undoubtedly encounter on their way to the Earth’s core.

“So with these modifications to the design, I believe we should be able to--,” Pearl’s voice trailed off when she heard the sound of loud laughter. Was that Peridot? Glancing over to the drill, she indeed saw Amethyst tickling her on the ground. “What are those two doing?”

Garnet and Steven’s attention had turned to the two gems as well. Steven giggled, but cut himself off. His grin was more difficult to conceal from the others. The two other gems eyed him curiously as he kept trying to stifle his laughter.

“Steven,” Pearl said, smiling gently at him. “Is there something you would like to tell us?”

Steven shook his head, still desperately trying to maintain a straight face. He knew, however, that he was not a very good liar. He felt a pang of guilt for fibbing to them just now.

“Well, I really shouldn’t say anything.” He was silent for a moment, rubbing the back of his head. He wanted to respect Peridot by showing some restraint. But his amusement made it difficult to keep it a secret much longer. He told himself that the truth would probably come out on its own sooner or later regardless of what he said.

“Peridot sort of…has a crush…on Amethyst,” he hesitantly revealed.

Pearl’s expression turned to one of shock. Garnet, however, seemed to enjoy this revelation. She chuckled.

“A crush?” Pearl glanced over again at Peridot and Amethyst. “How can that be? They hardly know each other.” There was no hiding the concerned tone of her voice. “How do you know?”

“I heard Peridot recording it in one of her logs. And she kept staring at Amethyst this morning,” Steven replied. “Plus, just look at them.” He gestured to the two gems in the distance, who were still full of laughter.

Pearl’s face was hard to read. It seemed to be a mix of helplessness and worry. “They can’t—I mean, they shouldn’t—” she looked to the tall gem. “Garnet, I think you should do something about this.”

Garnet was a little miffed by the fact that Pearl suggested she do something like that. She should know by now that, based on Garnet’s history, she didn’t like the idea of forbidding the love of others. “It’s fine with me,” she said, simply.

“Garnet!” Pearl was exasperated.

Seeing that this news was upsetting to her, Garnet put a comforting hand on Pearl’s shoulder. “Don’t worry too much about it, Pearl,” she assured her. “This may be a good experience for the both of them.”

Steven gasped excitedly. “Can you see things about them with your future vision?”

“I can,” Garnet replied. “But I don’t think I should tell you.”

“Oh come on! Please? I promise I won’t freak out this time!”

Garnet looked into the boy’s pleading eyes. “I’m sorry, Steven, but we should stay out of it. It’s best to let Amethyst and Peridot handle this themselves.”

Listening to this, Pearl was crushed. She silently reflected to herself for a few moments, becoming driven. “Well I’m not going to encourage this behavior,” Pearl said sharply. “And they shouldn’t be roughhousing! Amethyst should leave Peridot alone so she can work on the drill.” She slammed down her chalk and trudged over to where the two gems were laughing.

When she was far enough away, Steven looked to Garnet. “What’s up with her?” he asked quietly.

Garnet watched Pearl through her shades as she approached the two smaller gems. “It’s complicated, Steven,” she stated. “I’m sure Pearl will talk to you about all this soon enough.”


	6. Confrontation

Amethyst finally decided to take a break from tickling and give Peridot a rest from it as well.

“What--was that?” Peridot asked, her laughter finally dying down. She attempted to regain her composure and become serious again. “Was that an attack?”

Amethyst chuckled. “No, I was just tickling you.”

Peridot’s eyes held a trace of fear. “You immobilized me,” she said from the ground.

Amethyst smiled down at her. “Lighten up, Peri. It was just for fun,” she assured her, offering a hand.

Peridot stared up at Amethyst, frozen. Hesitantly, she reached out and accepted Amethyst’s hand into her own as she helped her off the ground. As she glanced up, their eyes met for a moment. The two stood there, completely transfixed. They were so focused on each other that Peridot didn’t realize she was still holding on to the purple gem’s hand. Amethyst gently relinquished her grip. Peridot blushed and looked away, realizing what she had just done. Giggling, Amethyst attempted to recapture her gaze.

The mood was broken when they heard someone clear their throat behind them. They both turned to see Pearl standing there. 

“Uh, hey P!” Amethyst greeted, quickly redirecting her attention to her. She noticed that Pearl looked displeased. This was never a good thing for her.

“Amethyst, may I speak with you for a moment…privately?” Pearl asked.

“Oh uh, sure,” she said, going off with Pearl. She turned back to wave at Peridot. “Later, nerd!”

Peridot, at a loss for words, waved back.

Walking with Amethyst far away from the others, Pearl wanted to make sure they could not be heard. She didn’t know how to start. It was so hard for her to talk about things like this. She quickly reconsidered confronting Amethyst over the situation. Ultimately, however, she decided that this had to be done.

Pearl began hesitantly. “So I…noticed you’ve been getting close with Peridot lately.”

“Hm?” Amethyst said, glancing back over to the green gem. She smiled. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Pearl cringed. “Amethyst,” she said, bringing her attention back to her. She began to feel awkward all over again. “I think you need to be careful about your…relationship with Peridot.”

Amethyst laughed. “What _relationship_?” she asked. “I was just goofing around with her. It’s no big deal.” As the words came out, she could feel her cheeks beginning to warm. She hoped it wasn’t at all visible to Pearl.

Pearl tried to ignore the sudden color on Amethyst’s face and continued speaking. “I just think you should avoid getting too close with her,” she warned.

Amethyst listened to what she was saying. Knowing Pearl, however, she started to have her suspicions of what this was really about. Turning away from her, Amethyst crossed her arms.

“I just don’t want to see you getting hurt, Amethyst,” Pearl told her gently.

It was true that Pearl often had Amethyst’s best interests at heart, whether or not she liked to admit it. But Amethyst felt that this was not one of those times.

“You don’t, huh?” she huffed. She could feel the anger building within. “Well then why don’t you want me to be happy?”

Pearl was stunned. “Amethyst, you know that’s not why I’m saying this,” Pearl searched for the right words. “It’s just that, we don’t know Peridot, and we don’t know if we can trust her.”

Amethyst could feel her emotions getting the better of her. “That’s not what this is about!” she spat out. Her voice became strained and she could start to feel tears welling up in her eyes. “I never got to have what you had. What Garnet has!”

There was silence between them as Amethyst’s words echoed loud and clear in her own mind. The personal, private feelings that she tried so hard to keep hidden came bubbling to the surface. 

In all her years with the Crystal Gems, she stood by as all the members of her team experienced love. Garnet, being the most apparent example, was of course the incarnation of Ruby and Sapphire’s love for one another. Pearl displayed intense passion and devotion to Rose Quartz. And Rose, who Amethyst suspected held mutual feelings for Pearl at some point in time, eventually fell for Greg. She was even starting to see the possibilities for romance between Steven and his friend Connie.

The truth was, Amethyst wanted to know love. To experience it like the others had. But there was never anyone for her. So she deeply buried the part of herself that longed for romantic love, until now.

Amethyst softly kicked at the earth beneath her. Her head was so full. Never had she imagined that she would be thinking about Peridot, their former adversary from Homeworld, in this sense. But she didn’t know quite what she was feeling in that moment. She just knew that she liked spending time with Peridot, and being around her. She thought she was funny and smart and…she felt a little embarrassed at the thought… _cute_. Did that mean she could pursue something more between the two of them? Having little knowledge in the realm of love and relationships, Amethyst very much hoped so.

She felt Pearl approach her and place a hand on her shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Amethyst,” Pearl said in a comforting tone. Amethyst sniffed, thinking perhaps Pearl’s apology meant she had a change of heart about the situation. 

Pearl, however, was not finished. “But you can’t be with Peridot.”

At these words, it took everything Amethyst had to keep herself from fully crying. She felt so vulnerable and alone in that moment, hiding her face from Pearl and sulking silently. 

Then she realized something. Why was Pearl trying to tell her what to do? She was quite used to Pearl’s orders in the context of their missions. But this was her personal life. Amethyst felt that this was one part of her life that no one else should have control over but herself. Not Pearl, Garnet, or anyone.

Amethyst shrugged the hand off her shoulder, turning angrily back to Pearl. “It’s my life!” she countered.

Speechless, Pearl searched her mind for some sort of response. Before she could, Amethyst took off across the grassy fields in the direction the Temple. Pearl sighed, deciding that it would be better to give her some space. Unfortunately, nothing was mending the emotional turmoil she herself was going through.


	7. Stars

Night fell on the barn. The Crystal Gems had gone back to the temple hours ago. Peridot, however, was still hard at work on the drill. The moonlight above illuminated her work. She just had to finish one more part, she decided, and she would end for the day.

As she worked, a small figure silently appeared beside her. She looked up. It was Amethyst.

“Hey,” Amethyst said, nonchalantly. “Do you want to come back to the house yet? Steven and I were going to watch something on TV, if you want to join us.”

As she spoke, Peridot was lost in how radiant she looked. The moonlight shone off her pale lavender hair and cast her face in its light. She didn’t realize she was staring for a moment.

“Oh—uh,” Peridot began, temporarily unable to form words. “I’m just finishing up. I’ll be right with you.”

“Okay,” Amethyst replied. She wandered off from the drill, waiting for the technician to finish up her work so they could head back to the temple together. She looked up at the darkened sky. It was incredibly clear and filled brightly with stars on this particular night.

Peridot gathered the rest of her tools together, and the two began their trek back to the temple. As they walked, all was quiet, save for the chirps of crickets filling the air. The stars above reminded Amethyst of a question she had for Peridot. She had wanted to ask since their discussion earlier. Truth be told, she was a little worried about what the answer might be.

She spoke up. “So, you know how we were talking about Homeworld earlier?”

“Yes?” Peridot responded, looking to her curiously.

“Do you still think you would go back there, if you could?”

Peridot paused, formulating a response and considering her next words carefully. She knew she wanted more than anything to get off the Earth. To go back to Homeworld. To her, it was a place where things were familiar and where she would be safe. She could get back to her job and continue with her life.

But as she pondered this, she couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling inside. 

Peridot obviously knew what the most logical option was. Getting off the planet had been her goal from the beginning. When it came down to it, choosing between safety and certain doom, she knew what the best decision would be.

But she couldn’t help but feel she would be abandoning them. Abandoning her. But why? Everything the Crystal Gems stood for was exactly what Homeworld was against. To be honest, it was becoming difficult for Peridot to see herself in alignment with the Diamond Authority again, if she did get back home.

Was she starting to care about the Crystal Gems? About this planet? Never did she think she would find any sort of alliance with them. Yet here she was.

“I’m not sure,” Peridot finally concluded.

In the dark, Amethyst smirked. It wasn’t quite the answer she was hoping for, but at least it was better than she had been expecting.

 

Settled on the floor of Steven’s bedroom, Amethyst rested with Peridot and Steven on either side of her. Steven had made the three of them a cozy spot to watch the latest episode of Crying Breakfast Friends. Surrounding them were countless pillows and blankets, along with popcorn and other snacks. Amethyst didn’t really get the show, but she always took up opportunities to make Steven happy.

Without completely realizing it, she had another reason in mind as well. She glanced over at Peridot in the dim light of the room. Though the green gem normally provided commentary during activities such as these, she was strangely quiet tonight. 

Huddled fairly close together, Amethyst was feeling very drawn to her for some reason. She was desiring a closeness that she couldn’t quite describe. It was a kind of physical contact that she never got from the others.

As the show continued, Amethyst slowly tried to snuggle up nearer to Peridot without being too overt about it. Peridot, still seeming to be focused on the show, didn’t attempt to create space between them. Amethyst took that as a good sign.

Amethyst had the idea of trying something that she felt would be an appropriate way of getting closer to her and showing how she felt. It was a cheesy move she had seen humans try before, mostly on TV and in movies. She figured it was worth a shot. Maybe if it was awkward, she could get away with telling Peridot she meant it as a friendly gesture. After all, Peridot didn’t know much about Earth customs, especially not romantic gestures.

 _Maybe she’ll feel the same way._ Amethyst became compelled by the thought.

 _Okay. Here goes._ She yawned, stretching her arms into the air. As she brought her arms down, she settled the right one around Peridot’s shoulders. Quickly, she glanced at the others. Steven had not noticed, and Peridot was still staring forward at the screen. Amethyst relaxed a bit more. _This is nice_ , she thought.

The purple gem was just beginning to feel comfortable when suddenly, Peridot got up and left the room. Amethyst watched as she quickly headed down the steps. She heard the screen door slam behind her.

Staring off in the direction she had last seen her for a few moments, Amethyst felt dumbfounded. Hurt.

“What happened?” came a small voice from behind her. 

Steven had noticed Peridot’s sudden departure as well, and was looking to Amethyst worriedly. She didn’t know what to tell him so she shrugged in reply. As Steven began to stand up, Amethyst was quick to stop him.

“Wait here, Steven,” she directed. “I’ll handle this.”


	8. Affection

Peridot sat on the beach near the water’s edge. Burying her face in her knees, she felt a flurry of emotions. She hadn’t wanted to run. In reality, that was the last thing she wanted to do. When Amethyst put her arm around her, it was everything she could have wanted. It felt right, as though they were meant to be together like that. At the realization of what was happening, however, she quickly went from feeling euphoric to terrified. So she ran.

“Peridot!” she heard a familiar voice calling her in the distance.

The green gem hid her face even more, trying to let the sound of waves crashing overpower the sound of her voice. Embarrassed, flustered, and tormented, she knew couldn’t face Amethyst right now. She wished desperately that it wasn’t like this.

Amethyst stopped short in the sand as she approached Peridot.

“I’m sorry,” Amethyst panted. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Peridot stayed silent, her face still hidden.

“It’s just that…I don’t know, I’ve been thinking lately,” Amethyst began. She chuckled nervously. Her voice became quieter, more serious. “I’ve never met a gem like you. I think you’re really funny and cool.”

Peridot listened intently.

“I just keep feeling like…maybe we could be something more? I was kinda hoping you felt the same way,” Amethyst continued. She paused, sounding a bit let down. “I dunno, it’s probably stupid.”

Peridot raised her head, staring at the sea. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Amethyst had feelings for her? That was so relieving to hear, so exhilarating. So perfect. It felt like this could be some sort of fantasy, the kind that could never come true. But it was.

And that was why it pained her so much, knowing this could never be real.

“It doesn’t matter,” Peridot mumbled.

“Huh?”

She spoke up a bit. “It doesn’t matter how you or I feel,” she said indignantly. “It’s wrong.”

She felt Amethyst come a bit closer. “Who says it’s wrong?”

Peridot could feel her eyes filling with tears. She fought them back as best she could, and tried to compose herself. “My home!” she cried in anguish.

Wordlessly, Amethyst came and sat down next to her. It took Peridot a moment to remember that the Earth gem probably knew next to nothing about Homeworld’s customs and expectations. She tried to steady her voice a bit before explaining.

“On Homeworld, we don’t preoccupy ourselves with such trivial feelings as…this,” Peridot said, feeling embarrassed to say the word in front of Amethyst. The purple gem looked at her questioningly. “… _Affections_ for other gems,” she clarified. “It’s strictly forbidden.”

Amethyst’s expression softened as she listened.

Peridot sighed and drew her attention back to the seemingly endless expanse of water in front of them. “We do what we were made to do,” she continued. “We serve the Diamonds. We perform our assigned duties. We’re not allowed to become involved with other gems in this way.”

Amethyst scooted closer beside her. She nearly reached out to her before stopping herself. “Well, you’re on Earth now,” she offered.

“You don’t get it,” Peridot stated, staring down at the sand. She could tell Amethyst was trying to be comforting. But she just couldn’t understand. How could she? This is everything Peridot had been taught as a gem on Homeworld. Likewise, Amethyst had only ever known the Earth, a strange, confusing place where none of these rules applied. 

Turning to Amethyst, Peridot’s tone became more distressed. “I’m supposed to do what I was made to do. I’m not supposed to… _like_ you!” She looked into Amethyst’s eyes again, the same eyes that were earlier such a comfort. Now her gaze now felt like a death sentence. “You have no idea what they do to gems like that,” she said quietly.

Amethyst was at a loss. Peridot was clearly in turmoil, but she had no idea what she could do or say to make it better. She didn’t fully understand her fears, since she was millions of miles away from Homeworld. But still, she felt the desperate need to protect her. At the very least, to comfort her.

Without thinking, Amethyst reached out to her once again. Letting her fingers graze along Peridot’s cheek, she gently cupped her face. She said the first thing that came to mind. “I would never let them hurt you.”

Though her teary gaze, Peridot looked at her with a small smile. Amethyst smiled back, assured that the gesture was taken well and that it meant something to her. She didn’t know how true she could stay to her promise, but she felt that if it came down to it, she and the Crystal Gems could keep Peridot safe from any more Homeworld gems that came their way.

As the moon and stars hung above them, the two sat there silently for a while. Looking out over the sea, they simply spent time in the company of one another.

Amethyst finally spoke up. “I kind of want to try something with you, if that’s okay,” she told Peridot, her tone uncharacteristically cautious.

The Homeworld gem looked at her curiously.

Amethyst moved even closer to her. “It’s something humans do when they like someone a lot and they want to show it,” she explained, appearing a little uneasy. “It’s, uh—it’s not something I’ve ever done before.”

“What is it?”

Apprehensively, she took Peridot’s hands in her own. She was understandably nervous, knowing she was taking a huge risk in doing this. She hoped this would go better than her earlier attempt to get closer to Peridot. “I think it’s better if I just show you,” she said, flashing her a sly grin.

Leaning into her, Amethyst planted a gentle kiss on Peridot’s lips.

As she kissed her, Peridot was taken aback by the human gesture. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. Noticing that Amethyst had closed her eyes, she decided to do the same.

Moments later, Amethyst ended the kiss. She opened her eyes, curious about Peridot’s reaction. Looking rather stunned, Peridot had a light blush covering her face. Amethyst could feel that her own cheeks were quite warm as well. She giggled and put her hands on her face, wondering if she looked as comical as Peridot did right now.

“So…” Amethyst looked to her with anticipation. “What did you think?”

Starry-eyed, Peridot stared at her for a moment more. It was an odd gesture, she thought. But having shared it with Amethyst, she could see why humans found it appealing. Grabbing Amethyst, she quickly pulled her into another kiss. The Earth gem’s resulting laughter was quickly muffled.

At first, Peridot found it to be a difficult sensation to wrap her mind around. But soon, she lost herself in a seemingly altered state, and she became aware of a feeling. It was a feeling she had not quite known before. She had never felt so close to someone and so completely satisfied. Her fears were quieted for the time being. This was all that mattered.

For Amethyst, the kiss was an electric feeling. It was something she had wanted to try for a long time, and more exciting than she could have possibly imagined. She placed her hands around Peridot’s shoulders, drawing their bodies even closer together. She had no idea where time went, feeling that it would be fine if this lasted forever.

When Peridot finally broke the kiss, the two gazed at each other excitedly for a moment. Amethyst started giggling at how ridiculously sappy they were being. Peridot joined in as well. Once their laughter died down, Peridot surprised Amethyst once again by putting her arms around her waist. She rested her head on her, seeming quite comfortable and content.

Amethyst chuckled. “Aww,” she cooed. Holding Peridot close, she could feel how warm she was. She started gently stroking her hair.

The two gems remained like that for some time.

 

Quietly stepping up the stairs to his bedroom, Amethyst and Peridot checked to see if Steven was still awake. He was sprawled out among his pillows and blankets on the floor, clearly starting to doze off, but he immediately roused upon seeing them.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, concerned.

Amethyst glanced subtly at Peridot. “Everything’s fine, Steven,” Peridot replied. 

“Sorry for missing the new episode,” Amethyst apologized.

“That’s okay,” Steven said, scrambling to get up. “I recorded it!”

Steven grabbed the remote and started the new episode up again. Amethyst took her place beside him on the floor as Peridot settled down next to her.

As they watched the show, Amethyst casually placed her hand on the floor beside Peridot. Having noticed this under the glow of the TV, Peridot considered how she should respond. She decided to do what felt right. She placed her hand atop Amethyst’s. 

In turn, Amethyst laced their fingers together. After a second or two, she peered at Peridot. Seeing that she was giving her that same little smile from earlier, she beamed in return.


	9. Sleep

The following day, everyone’s activities continued as normal. For the most part.

While at the barn, Amethyst acted as if nothing had changed, save for some mild flirting with Peridot. When they interacted, she gave Peridot the occasional wink. She also enjoyed making quick physical contact with her, such as bumping into her or brushing up against her, as long as it went unnoticed by the others. She also took great pleasure in seeing Peridot become flustered over these gestures.

Meanwhile, Peridot was bothered by a newfound feeling of fluttering in her abdomen whenever Amethyst was near, especially when their gazes met or whenever they touched. While she was working, she found her thoughts often drifting to Amethyst. It was a distracting, but pleasant, feeling.

When they returned to the temple for the night, the others departed to their various places in the home. Amethyst and Peridot, meanwhile, were left standing alone in the living area. They looked to each other expectantly. Amethyst had been waiting all day to spend more time alone with Peridot, but was at a loss for how to initiate it. She wondered what would be a good idea to do. Should they talk? Hug? Kiss?

Peridot, too, felt the awkwardness between them. She decided it was probably best to go, and prepared to leave. “Well, goodnight,” she said quickly, turning in the direction of Steven’s bathroom.

Then, an idea occurred to Amethyst.

“Hey, wait,” she began. Peridot stopped and turned back towards her. Amethyst suddenly felt strange, having difficulty getting her thoughts into word form. “Do you think maybe you’d want to…stay in my room tonight?”

Peridot stared at her blankly, her expression impossible to read.

“I mean, you don’t _have_ to,” Amethyst quickly explained. She could feel herself blushing. She knew the rather suggestive connotations of this request, but was fairly certain that Peridot did not. “It’s just that my room is probably more comfortable than the bathroom. There’s plenty of space for both of us.”

Still looking dumbfounded, Peridot managed to stammer out some words. “S-sure, if you want me to.”

“Okay, cool.” Amethyst giggled, relieved and completely endeared by the way Peridot still got nervous around her.

Taking her by the hand, Amethyst led Peridot to her portion of the temple. The door opened to reveal her piles and piles of clutter. “Sorry, it’s kind of a mess,” she chuckled.

Stepping inside, the door closed behind them. “Where did you get all this?” asked Peridot, rather astonished by the sheer amount of stuff.

“Oh, I’ve just sort of been collecting it over the years,” Amethyst told her, a bit proud of the space she had created for herself.

Together, they traversed through the mountains of items. Peridot thought about how it might be interesting to go through and examine these earthly artifacts with Amethyst more closely another time.

“Here we are,” Amethyst announced as they arrived at her unmade bed. “Uh, one sec.”

Letting go of Peridot’s hand, she quickly straightened up her sheets and comforter. She hopped onto the bed, resting leisurely on her side.

Peridot stood at the edge of her bed, unsure of what to do next.

“Come on, P-dot,” Amethyst invited, patting the spot beside her on the bed. “Like I said, there’s room for both of us.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Peridot crawled onto the bed beside her. “So what exactly are we doing?” she queried.

“Sleeping,” Amethyst told her, fluffing up both their pillows.

Peridot thought about sleep, the action that she mostly saw Steven engage in, but sometimes Amethyst as well. She didn’t know much about it, but she assumed it was a way for humans to preserve or recharge their energy levels. “Why? Gems don’t need sleep.”

“Because it’s fun!” Amethyst urged. “Don’t you wanna learn some cool Earth things while you’re here?”

It was true. Peridot had taken it upon herself to learn more about the Earth and human customs lately. But to her, sleep just appeared to be a waste of time. “What exactly is the point of sleep?”

Amethyst thought of the best way to describe it. “I dunno, it’s just kind of nice,” she explained. “It’s like, when all your thoughts turn off for a little while. It’s really relaxing. And then your mind makes up all kinds of weird stories and junk.”

Peridot was thrown off by the last statement. “That doesn’t sound relaxing at all.”

Amethyst laughed and pulled the blankets up over the both of them. “Just try it!”

Peridot eyed the sheets, which were a soft blue in color and tattered at the edges. Amethyst’s comforter was, very characteristically, light purple. It had some of the stuffing coming out of it. She guessed that these were secondhand items Amethyst had salvaged for herself. “And how would I go about doing that?” she asked.

“Well, first,” Amethyst began. “You have to lay down, get comfortable, and close your eyes.”

“Okay…” Peridot attempted this, laying back on the bed rigidly and closing her eyes. “Like this?”

Amethyst smiled. “That’s a good start, but you have to relax too,” she said. “Like this.” She demonstrated by snuggling deeper into the blankets. She turned onto her side so she was facing Peridot, resting her head on her pillow.

Peridot tried to copy her the best she could.

“Yeah, that’s good,” Amethyst directed. “Now you just gotta let your mind go blank. And the next thing you know, you’ll be asleep.”

“Let my mind go blank?” Peridot repeated, wondering if such a thing was possible. It was certainly a strange request, much different than anything she was used to doing. But she decided to give it a try. 

After a few minutes of keeping her eyes closed and relaxing, however, her thoughts would not stop. “I don’t think this will work,” Peridot told her, beginning to get frustrated with the process.

Amethyst chuckled gently. “You have to give it time. It doesn’t always happen right away,” she informed her. Leaning over, she gave Peridot a kiss on the cheek. “Night, Peri.”

Peridot’s cheek tingled slightly at the place Amethyst had kissed her. “Goodnight, Amethyst,” she answered with a small smile.

All became quiet as the two gems drifted off to sleep.

 

In the middle of the night, Amethyst was awoken suddenly.

She could feel Peridot tossing and turning frantically next to her in bed. Sleepily, Amethyst flipped over, looking to see what was going on. She was slightly surprised to find that Peridot indeed was asleep. Not only that, but a dream was projecting from her gem.

Amethyst watched the dream in curiosity. In the projection, she immediately recognized the five of them: Peridot, Amethyst, Garnet, Pearl, and Steven, all standing in the drill. Before them appeared to be something enormous. The cluster, undoubtedly. In comparison to the mass of pure chaos, the five gems seemed so small.

In an instant, a hand from the colossal gem geoweapon lashed out violently at them. It narrowly missed them when suddenly, another reached hand out and grabbed Amethyst.

In her dream, Peridot watched in terror as she was dragged away. “Amethyst!” she cried out desperately.

Outside the dream, Amethyst had seen enough. “Peridot, wake up,” she urged, shaking her gently.

The green gem woke abruptly. She glanced around the room, realizing the scene from her dream was not actually happening. Then she looked to Amethyst, her expression one of terror and confusion.

“It’s okay,” Amethyst assured her.

Peridot began to tear up as she enveloped Amethyst into a hug. Hugging her back, Amethyst could feel that she was shaking. Wordlessly, she kept holding onto her.

A few moments passed before Peridot spoke. “What was that?”

“It was just a bad dream,” Amethyst said softly. “They happen sometimes. Don’t worry, none of it was real.”

Peridot nodded, resting in her arms for a while longer.

After calming down a bit, she relinquished her hold on Amethyst. She appeared to be a little ashamed that she had such an emotional reaction to something that didn’t really happen. “I’m glad you’re okay,” she said, sheepishly.

Amethyst smiled at her. “I’m glad you are, too.”

As the purple gem settled back down in bed, Peridot looked a bit unsure about the prospect of sleeping again.

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe. Promise,” Amethyst told her reassuringly.

Peridot began to settle down on her side of the bed as well. Then, Amethyst moved over next to her and wrapped her arms around her waist. She snuggled Peridot in close to her body.

It took a moment for Peridot to get used to this. She was still not entirely familiar with the idea of physical contact with another gem being a good thing. Ultimately however, it felt very nice. Feeling protected and safe, she knew she wouldn’t have to worry about Amethyst’s safety as long as could feel her there with her.

Nestling under Peridot’s chin, Amethyst thought about how much she loved this feeling. She loved feeling Peridot in her arms. Her warmth. Just everything about her. She loved being this close to someone.


	10. Synthesis

Morning came. Peridot awoke, feeling mellow and relaxed. Fortunately, she had slept more soundly the rest of the night and hadn’t been disturbed by another nightmare. 

She peered over at the gem next to her. Sometime during the night, the two had shifted from their cuddling position. Amethyst was still sleeping soundly, looking peaceful. Peridot eyed Amethyst’s long hair, messy from sleep, with admiration. She gently ran her fingers through it, noticing how soft it was.

Beginning to stir, Amethyst stretched as she awoke from her sleep. She opened her eyes, and seeing Peridot beside her, she smiled. “Morning sunshine,” she said sleepily.

Peridot smiled back. Amethyst seemed to always have new nicknames for her, which she was starting to enjoy. “Good morning,” she responded, still intently focused on playing with the ends of Amethyst’s hair.

The purple gem gazed drowsily at her, taking amusement from this. “You’re so cute, Peri,” she murmured.

Peridot blushed at the comment. She remembered how she had most recently been called cute by Steven when he first saw her without her limb enhancers. She normally loathed being called cute, feeling it was condescending. But for some reason, it was different hearing it from Amethyst.

Seeing Peridot’s face flush, Amethyst laughed and hugged her close. 

Cuddling up to Amethyst, Peridot closed her eyes. She felt so content here with her like this, so completely at ease. With her, she felt safe and secure. She had never experienced such a strong feeling, such a powerful connection, to anyone.

“I’ve never felt this way before,” Peridot said aloud. 

“Me neither,” Amethyst replied, simply.

Peridot was a little surprised. “Really?” 

She thought that surely Amethyst had experienced this type of relationship with other gems, or perhaps humans, in her many years on the planet. Especially if expressing affection was encouraged on Earth, unlike on Homeworld.

“Yeah,” Amethyst answered.

Peridot was silently stunned by this fact. Despite not having known Amethyst very long, she felt such a sense intimacy with her, feeling she could trust her completely. She was in amazement knowing that Amethyst felt similarly about her.

“You know, I think we still have a little while before the others get up,” she heard Amethyst say.

“Hm?” Peridot replied, still nuzzled into her shoulder. She only partially heard her as she was beginning to doze off again.

“I was thinking maybe we could, uh, you know…” Amethyst continued with a hint of mischievousness in her voice. “…mash it up?”

Peridot broke the embrace and looked at her peculiarly. “Excuse me?”

Amethyst chuckled. “I _mean_ , do you wanna fuse with me?”

Peridot’s eyes widened. She tried her best to gauge Amethyst’s expression. “Are you being serious?” she asked, her voice a slightly higher pitch than usual.

Amethyst nodded.

Truth be told, Peridot had never fused before. It wasn’t common for gems of her rank to do, and it was especially taboo for gems of different types to fuse. She was familiar with the concept of fusion, however. She had always been slightly curious about the experience. That, and she couldn’t think of a better fusion partner than Amethyst.

So what was keeping her from saying yes? Logically, she wasn’t sure. All she knew was an anxious, panicky feeling that was paralyzing her.

Coming back to reality, Amethyst was still anxiously awaiting her answer. She looked hopeful. It was strange, the green gem thought. Amethyst must truly see her as her equal if she would want to do something like this. She was touched by this realization.

It took all the courage she could muster to say her reply.

“Yes.”

Amethyst’s eyes lit up. A grin appeared on her face. “Aw, Peri!” she exclaimed, sitting up. “This is gonna be the best!” Leaning over, Amethyst began planting kisses all over her face.

Peridot became quite flustered. Secretly, she was enjoying the feeling of Amethyst attacking her with smooches, and was trying hard not to start giggling from the sensation. Instead, she groaned in pretend-annoyance.

The quartz gem beamed. “Okay, come on,” she invited. 

Taking her hand, Amethyst quickly led her to a more open area of her room. She then began rummaging through one of her many piles of trash.

“This is gonna be awesome!” she gushed. “I haven’t fused with anyone new in a long time.”

Peridot tried to fix her hair, still disheveled from sleeping. “Heh, yeah,” she mused.

Amethyst pulled an old battery-powered boom box from the pile. “Here it is!” she announced. She set it down and kicked aside a few more items aside to reveal a box of CDs. Picking them up one-by-one, she examined the cases they were in. “So what kind of music do you like to dance to?”

Peridot scoffed. “I don’t dance.”

Amethyst blew the dust off of a CD case in her hands. “Ha! That’s a good one,” she chortled.

Peridot was finding it awkward to bring up her lack of experience with fusion. Considering how the Crystal Gems seemed to fuse for any reason, the idea of certain types of gems not fusing was probably foreign to Amethyst.

“I’m not making a joke!” Peridot said indignantly. Amethyst looked up at her, and there was an uncomfortable silence. The green gem sighed. “I’ve—I’ve never actually fused before.”

Amethyst dropped the few CDs she was holding, slightly stunned. “Wait, really?”

Peridot groaned. “On Homeworld, fusion is only used by warrior gems as a battle tactic in life-or-death situations,” she explained. “There’s never been a reason for me to fuse, as a peridot.” She looked rather ashamed.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Amethyst assured her. Getting up, she approached Peridot with concern. Then, she tackled her in a massive hug, nearly knocking her over. The two gems laughed. Peridot smiled, meeting her eyes, which seemed always seemed so full of adoration lately.

“If you still want to fuse, I can teach you,” Amethyst offered.

Peridot considered this for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. I think I would like that.”

They sat down and Amethyst explained the basics of how the Crystal Gems practiced fusion. This was a fairly new concept to Peridot. On Homeworld, fusion was always the means to an end. It was usually used to defeat enemies, or to help in conquering other planets. She was having trouble understanding the idea of fusion if it wasn’t for a greater purpose.

“So you fuse just for…fun?” Peridot attempted to clarify.

“Well, sometimes. We mostly use it for fighting, like when we’re going up against something that’s too big for us to handle on our own,” she paused. “Except for Garnet, I guess. She always says the best reason to fuse is love.”

“Love?”

“Yeah,” Amethyst said, averting her gaze. She seemed a bit awkward talking about it. “When you really, really like someone a lot.”

Peridot thought this sounded similar to how Steven had described “having a crush” on someone. “Hm. An interesting concept.”

Amethyst abruptly changed the subject. “Okay! You ready to try this?” she asked.

Peridot hesitated before replying. “Yes.”

Getting up and following Amethyst, the two headed over to her boom box. Amethyst hit the play button, and through the speakers came an upbeat pop song. 

“You just kind of move your body to the music,” Amethyst told her.

It seemed simple enough.

Peridot watched as Amethyst began her dance. She appeared to be having a lot of fun, syncing up with the song that was playing. She moved rhythmically, almost seductively to the music. This was the first time Peridot had really seen her rather provocative style of dance. Seeing her move her body in this way brought a blush to her face.

Amethyst snickered as she moved in closer to Peridot.

“Come on,” she invited. “Just do whatever feels right.”

Peridot was frozen. Nothing about this felt right. She let out a nervous laugh. “I really don’t know how to start.”

“Hm. Let’s try this,” Amethyst suggested. She took Peridot by her hands, encouraging her to dance along with her. “Just do what I do.”

Amethyst slowed her rhythm a bit. Peridot began to watch and mimic Amethyst’s foot movements. Somewhat rigidly, she moved along with her. At one point, she was taken off guard when Amethyst suddenly twirled her.

“You gotta relax!” Amethyst laughed.

“I’ll try,” Peridot smiled at her.

She noticed Amethyst’s gem was emitting a purple glow. She could feel hers was as well. Relinquishing one hand, she reached up to feel the warmth of the light coming through her visor. “Huh.”

They danced a while longer, and Peridot was beginning to get the hang of it. As the music swelled, Amethyst dipped her down. “Ready?”

But before Peridot could answer, everything went white.

It was too much.

The next thing she knew, she was being thrown back onto the ground. She opened her eyes to see that Amethyst was similarly collapsed several feet away from her. Peridot hurried over to her.

Amethyst groaned as Peridot helped her up. “What the heck? Why didn’t it work?”

Peridot sighed, not seeing any need to lie to her. “That was probably my fault. I got kind of scared. I’m sorry.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Amethyst said reassuringly. Peridot thought she looked a bit disappointed, however. “Not everyone can fuse on the first try. It takes some getting used to.”

“Perhaps I should learn more about fusion before we attempt this again,” Peridot considered.

Amethyst smiled in response, putting an arm around her.

“Oh! Uh, can we, um…” Peridot gestured to her lips.

Amethyst laughed. “Of course!” she said before grabbing Peridot’s face and giving her a long and comforting smooch. “It’s called ‘kissing’, by the way.”


	11. Alone

“What did you need me back here for?” Peridot asked, coming around the side of the barn. About twenty minutes prior, the Amethyst had quietly asked to meet her there. It was an odd request, Peridot thought, but she complied anyway.

Amethyst, seated there on a bale of hay, shrugged. She was trying to play it cool, but in reality, she had been anxious to get some alone time with Peridot all morning. She just liked being around her so much, especially since they had become so much closer lately. “Nothing much. I just wanted to see you.”

Peridot smiled so subtly that it was barely noticeable, clearly flattered. “That’s very nice but I really should be getting back to my work. We really need to be making more progress on the drill. It’s our only chance of stopping the cluster, and at this rate--”

“Can’t you take a break?” Amethyst interrupted before Peridot launched into a long explanation of how far behind they supposedly were on the drill. “I seriously doubt the cluster is gonna emerge if we hang out back here for just a little while.”

Peridot eyed Pearl, Garnet, and Steven, who were all too occupied in their work to notice their absence. “I really shouldn’t be…”

“It’ll be fine!” Amethyst assured, taking Peridot’s slightly smaller hand in hers.

“If you say so.”

Amethyst led them past all the brush that grew around the back of the barn, with the hope that they wouldn’t be interrupted. Once they were finally alone, Amethyst gently took hold of Peridot’s other hand. The green gem smiled in response. Their eyes met, and it reminded Amethyst of the how they had looked at each other during the drill incident that seemingly was the start of all this.

“Can you uh, take these off?” Amethyst asked, lightly touching the sides of Peridot’s visors.

Peridot looked at her strangely. “Why?”

“Because!” Amethyst urged. “I want to see what you look like without them!”

Peridot seemed to be considering this. She sighed in her typical, indignant way. “I suppose.”

She phased her visors away. Averting her eyes at first, she felt a bit more vulnerable without her signature face wear. Turning back to Amethyst, she looked at her for the first time without the familiar green of her visors. Her first reaction was that Amethyst’s blue eyes were lovely.  
Amethyst could now see that Peridot’s eyes were, not very surprisingly, a sparkling green shade. She gazed at them for some time. After several moments, she realized that her appreciation for Peridot’s eyes had turned into staring. She stopped as soon as she realized it might be getting uncomfortable. 

The unintended awkwardness of the whole situation made her start giggling.

Peridot became self-conscious. “What?”

“Nothing,” Amethyst grinned. “It’s just that…you have really nice eyes.”

Peridot looked slightly embarrassed by the compliment, but she smiled. “Your vision spheres are quite attractive as well.”

Amethyst laughed, enjoying how Peridot found ways to make her laugh, whether or not she meant to. Moving back in nearer to the green gem, she wrapped her arms around shoulders. Shortly after, Peridot placed her arms around her waist.

“For the record, I like how you look with or without them,” Amethyst said. “It’s just that sometimes, they can get in the way.”

“Of what?”

Amethyst closed her eyes, moving in closer. Peridot followed, bringing their lips together. With kissing being a new activity to both of them, Amethyst was eager to practice every chance they got. Though Peridot was rather tense starting out, Amethyst could feel her loosening up and relaxing.

Suddenly, Peridot jerked back, breaking the kiss. “What if the others find us?” she asked quietly.

Amethyst waved her hand, not even slightly concerned about that at the moment. She was feeling far too impassioned at that moment to think critically. Moving to Peridot’s neck, she began planting kisses lightly along it.

“What are you--?” Peridot started giggling at the ticklish sensation. “Amethyst!”

The purple gem snickered in return. She continued this for a while. Peridot’s laughter eventually died down, and Amethyst raised her head to look at her once more.

Amethyst gave her a cocky grin. “Good?”

Peridot nodded and eagerly went back to her lips. As minutes passed, they kissed more passionately and deeply. She could feel Peridot’s hands running up and down her back. The small noises and moans escaping her made it clear that she was enjoying this just as much as she was. Amethyst wanted to feel her completely, not wanting an inch of space between them as she fervently pressed her body against the other gem’s. Her hands worked their way up into Peridot’s hair and she ran her fingers playfully through it.

The two gems were so involved with each other that they forgot about everything around them. They were completely oblivious, then, when Pearl rounded the side of the barn. 

Pearl had been looking for them, more specifically for Peridot, needing her advice on something related to the drill. When she found them, however, she was not at all prepared to see them kissing.

“Oh my!” Pearl gasped quietly, her hand flying up to cover her mouth.

As soon as they heard her, the two quickly scrambled apart. Amethyst quietly cursed as Peridot quickly phased her visors back on as if nothing had happened.

“We were just—uh…” Amethyst began, quickly trying to come up with a good excuse. She hoped they could play this off as some kind of misunderstanding. But as Pearl looked wordlessly at them with their flushed and anxious faces, and Peridot’s hair now in disarray, it was clear that there was no hiding what they had been up to.

At that moment, Steven showed up after Pearl.

“Hey, you found them!” he exclaimed. Noticing Pearl’s shocked expression, his cheerful demeanor turned to one of concern. “Is everything okay?”

Pearl attempted to conceal what she was experiencing. “Everything’s fine, Steven,” she assured, trying to sound like her normal self. “I just…need a moment…” her voice trailed off as she turned and hurried off in the direction of the temple.

“Pearl!” Steven cried. He looked to Peridot and Amethyst, but they both appeared to be as dumbfounded as he was. Worriedly, he took off after her. 

Garnet was coming around the edge of the barn at that moment. She saw Steven run past her, trailing after a visibly upset Pearl. Inquiringly, she looked to the two smaller gems standing there.

“What happened here?” she questioned.

There was a pause. Peridot nervously attempted to smooth her hair, eyeing Amethyst expectantly. Amethyst rubbed the back of her head as she looked at the ground. “We were…um…”

Garnet put up her hands. “I think I get the idea,” she said, turning her attention back to Pearl and Steven in the distance. “I suppose she had to find out about the two of you sooner or later.”

They both gawked at her. “You knew?” Peridot asked.

“And here I was thinking we were being so secretive!” Amethyst muttered.

Garnet ignored their comments. It was Steven, after all, who told her about Peridot’s crush in the first place. She didn’t want to throw him under the bus. Plus, when he told her, she had foreseen this to be a rather likely turn of events, thanks to her future vision.

“I’ll go talk to Pearl,” Garnet began. “I think it would be best if you two stayed here.”

Amethyst nodded in agreement. 

Together, they watched Garnet leave. Once she was out of earshot, Peridot turned to Amethyst. “What’s wrong with Pearl?” she asked.

Amethyst sighed. She tried not to get too angry at Pearl, knowing what she must be feeling right now. “I think I know what’s going on.”


	12. Tears

Hurrying, Garnet and Steven burst through the door of their beach home. They were just in time to see Pearl teleporting away using the warp pad.

“Where’s she going?” Steven questioned, looking to Garnet.

The tall gem paused for a split second. “I think I know.”

Together, she and Steven stepped onto the warp pad, teleporting off. When they arrived at their destination, Steven looked around. He felt it was somewhere he had been before. Seeing the overgrown brambles all around them, he soon realized where they were.

Following Garnet, she led him through the passageway of thorns that she had made the last time they were there. They walked in to Rose’s sanctuary, the home of her fountain of healing tears. And sure enough, at the fountain’s edge, they found Pearl seated there. 

Pearl gazed forlornly into the flowing water below her. Steven and Garnet approached her quietly, taking seats on either side of her.

“Pearl,” Steven began gently. “Do you want to talk to us about what’s wrong?”

The pale-colored gem continued staring down at the pink petals floating in the water. She shook her head without saying a word.

Steven hated seeing Pearl upset. He didn’t want her to feel bad, so he did what he could: he hugged her. Garnet soon joined in as well, putting an arm around the both of them. The three stayed like that for what felt like a long time. 

After a while, Pearl finally spoke. “I’m sorry for worrying you,” she began. “It’s just that, seeing those two together…” Her voice trailed off.

“Amethyst and Peridot?” asked Steven. “What were they doing?”

Pearl hesitated. “They were kissing.”

“Oh!” Steven exclaimed, then gasped. “They do like each other!” he said quietly with stars in his eyes. He tried not to get too excited about this revelation, seeing how upset it had obviously made Pearl. “Wait um…” he quickly tried to put the pieces together, contemplating what exactly this meant. “Does this mean you…like Amethyst?”

“No,” Pearl replied, simply.

Steven looked at her strangely. “Do you like Peridot?”

Pearl gave him a half-hearted chuckle. “No, Steven.”

The young boy was a bit confused. 

“Steven,” Pearl looked at him for the first time since he got there, giving him a small smile. “You know I love you.” She stopped, now staring at the statue of Rose Quartz, standing at the center of the fountain. Rose’s healing tears poured from the statue’s eyes. “Your mother was…very special to me, also.”

“I know,” Steven responded.

Pearl looked into his anxious eyes. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to tell him about the true nature of her relationship with Rose. But at the same time, she feared that if she told him this, he would somehow feel bad for Rose’s leaving. Or worse, he would feel ashamed for his own existence. She loved him dearly, but deep down, she knew he could never truly replace her. Sharing this now was too much to put on him.

She glanced to Garnet for some kind of reassurance.

Garnet nodded in return. “Steven, do you mind giving us a minute alone?”

Steven looked at them with care and concern. He understood. Obviously, he wanted to know what was going on and why Pearl was upset. But he also knew the Crystal Gems had a lot of secrets, and this was clearly not the time they wanted to share this one with him.

Without another word, the young boy left them, wandering off into the thorny brush. When she knew they were alone, Pearl finally let her tears fall freely. She sobbed as Garnet tried to comfort her, the tears dropping off her face and into the fountain’s water. “I just miss her so much sometimes.”

“I know you do,” Garnet said. “We all miss her.”

Pearl cried in her arms for several minutes. Garnet, and even Amethyst on occasion, used to have to console her like this. She hadn’t had a breakdown in so long. By something so simple, her grief and anguish had been brought back up.

Eventually, her tears stopped enough for her to speak. “I loved her,” she murmured. “I always felt that she was the one I was meant to be with forever. You know that feeling.”

“Yes,” Garnet said, very familiar with having that type of connection with someone. She couldn’t imagine the depth of pain would accompany the loss of either Ruby or Sapphire.

“But now she’s gone,” Pearl said quietly. She ran over the memories of moments she shared with Rose that stood out most in her mind. Many were good, but some were bad. “I wish it hadn’t ended the way it did.”

Garnet nodded in understanding.

“I suppose I got so upset because I realized now that you all have someone special to make you happy now. And I’m alone,” Pearl said, despondently. “I sometimes wonder if there’s anyone else out there for me. Or if Rose was the only one who would ever love me.”

“Pearl,” Garnet said, softly. She placed a hand under Pearl’s chin, wiping away her tears with the other. “We all love you.”

“I know,” Pearl said, giving a small, appreciative smile for a moment. “But what Rose and I had was…different. We were in love for so many centuries.” She turned to gaze at the stars beginning to appear in the night sky. “Do you think I can ever have that again?”

Garnet adjusted her visor slightly. “If there’s someone special out there for you, I think fate will help you find each other,” she said with a smile. Pearl smiled in return. “I also think you need to give yourself more credit,” she continued. “You are a wonderful friend. Rose would want you to love yourself as much as we love you.”

Pearl sniffed. “I’ll try,” she said. They hugged once more.

The two went to go and meet Steven, who was anxiously awaiting their return at the warp pad. When they arrived, he gave them a concerned look. This quickly dissipated when Pearl assured him that she was going to be okay.

Stepping onto the warp pad, Steven held onto both their hands as they teleported off.


	13. Revelation

As the days passed, things began to settle down for the team. Peridot and Amethyst were finally able to enjoy their relationship without fear of the others finding out. And though they reminded her of her own loneliness, Pearl tried her best to feel happy for the new couple.

Peridot continued to learn about the Earth with the help of the other Gems. Having spent ample time with them, she got the chance to get to know each of them better on an individual basis as well. Additionally, the drill was coming along nicely and was nearly complete. The five of them seemed hopeful that they could stop the cluster before it emerged.

Overall, things were going pretty smoothly. That is, until Peridot’s relationship with the Crystal Gems began to fall apart.

After their trip to gather coordinates from the moon base, Steven revealed to them that Peridot had stolen a communication device, and that she planned to use it to contact Yellow Diamond. Disappointed as they were, this news didn’t really surprise Pearl and Garnet. Though Peridot had seemed to be getting along with them, deep down, they had feared she would go back to her old ways. And sure enough, she did.

When Amethyst heard the news, however, she was heartbroken. Not knowing what to think, a sense of abandonment, hurt, and anger flooded her all at once. Feelings she knew all too well. She really thought Peridot had cared about her, and was beginning to find a sense of belonging with the Crystal Gems. 

_Why would she do this?_ Amethyst wondered to herself, fighting to hold back tears. Did her time with the Crystal Gems mean anything to her? Did _Amethyst_ mean anything to her? 

She felt foolish for ever believing she did.

Meanwhile, Peridot saw contacting Yellow Diamond as a last opportunity to redeem herself in her eyes. She was, after all, the Diamond she had so loyally served for thousands of years, and she was desperate for another chance. She thought of Amethyst and the others, knowing they would be hurt by her decision, and hated that. But she also hoped that she could convince Yellow Diamond to terminate the cluster. Peridot remained convinced that this was her only chance to save the Earth and to make things right.

In the end, however, Peridot shocked the group by standing up to Yellow Diamond, refusing to listen to her and refusing to allow the cluster to form. The Crystal Gems all excitedly commended her for what she did, and Amethyst was absolutely ecstatic.

Peridot, on the other hand, could hardly believe what she had done. Fear and dread overtook her instantly, and she felt her life was over. She had turned her back on Homeworld, her Diamond, and everything she knew. In turn, she had aligned herself with her former enemies, the Crystal Gems. She was so terrified that she didn’t really process much until she felt Amethyst lift her off the ground in an enormous hug.

“You did great,” Amethyst grinned at her.

Peridot smiled in return, temporarily forgetting the situation she found herself in and finding comfort in the Gem who meant so much to her.

 

Undoubtedly, it had been a tiresome, eventful, and emotional day for the both of them. Though the Gems had been staying out at the barn full-time lately, Amethyst thought Peridot might feel more secure resting with her in the temple for the night. Settling into bed, Amethyst wrapped her in a blanket to make sure she was comfortable. Peridot rested her head on her lap as the purple gem comfortingly stroked her hair. 

The former Homeworld Gem just wanted to sleep, craving the unconsciousness it brought, and hoping she could forget everything about what had just happened. She knew, however, that it would probably be difficult to sleep that night with all that was on her mind.

Meanwhile, Amethyst was feeling so proud of her and so full of emotion. She needed to say something to her, but was finding it difficult to do.

“Peridot...” she finally spoke.

The green gem escaped from her anxious thoughts for a moment, sitting up and looking at her. “Yes?” she asked, finding it a little concerning that Amethyst was using her real name and not one of the many nicknames she had for her.

Amethyst smiled, gently cupping her hands around her face, beaming at her. She brought their lips together in a gentle and familiar kiss. After, Peridot rested her head on Amethyst’s chest as they held each other closely. Peridot closed her eyes, feeling comforted knowing Amethyst would never let anything happen to her.

“I love you.”

The green gem’s eyes opened. She heard Amethyst clearly say it, but she could hardly believe it. Being from such a different world as Amethyst, love still seemed to be an abstract concept to her. She had heard “love” used many times while on Earth, and in so many different ways. It was how Rose Quartz had felt about the Earth and all its inhabitants, wanting to keep it safe and protected. It was how Steven felt about his guardians, family, and friends. And she knew it was how Garnet felt, so strongly connected with someone that you wanted to be with them forever.

Though Peridot was still understanding the concept of love, she was filled with a sense of honor that Amethyst had said this to her. And though she hadn’t put it in words before, she realized then that love was what she must also be feeling for Amethyst.

Somehow, deep down, she had known it for a while. She had this familiar feeling inside herself during times like these. She reflected on the many other special moments she had shared with Amethyst over the past weeks. When they had their first kiss on the beach. The times Amethyst held her hand. The way she looked at her with such care and admiration, like she had never experienced before. These memories gave her a strong, warm, and all-encompassing feeling inside. It made her feel like she wanted to be with Amethyst always, and she was certain of what this must be.

“I love you too,” Peridot told her.

Amethyst smiled to herself as Peridot nuzzled in closer to her. She closed her eyes and the two drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn’t really see this story going any way but referencing the canon events a whole bunch. I generally like things to stay as in-character and close to canon as possible. Guess I’m kinda uncreative in that regard, haha. Also I want to include one more chapter after this, so stay tuned!


	14. Together

Several days passed, and Amethyst awoke from a deep sleep within the barn. Everything was still, and dim sunlight was beginning to shine through the windows. She sat up on her makeshift bed, checking her surroundings. Peridot, who she expected to find next to her or at least somewhere nearby, was nowhere to be found.

Getting up, she began searching the premises. It didn’t take long for her to find Peridot a ways off from where they had been staying. She was sitting by herself in a grassy field. The morning sun was beginning to rise over the horizon beyond her.

“P-dot,” Amethyst called, a bit concerned. “What are you doing out here?”

The other gem didn’t answer right away. Still turned away, she sighed. “I’ve just been thinking about…everything, I suppose. What I’m going to do now, what comes next.”

Amethyst quietly approached her, sitting down next to her on the grass. “Hey, don’t worry about it too much. Just remember, we beat Homeworld before, and I’m sure we could do it again if we need to,” she said, then paused. She nudged her playfully. “Heh, well, even though you kinda _were_ Homeworld before.”

Peridot gave her a half-hearted chuckle in return and a smile that quickly faded. She looked at the ground. “I’m really sorry about how I acted then.”

Taken aback by this sudden admission, Amethyst didn’t quite know how to respond at first. “Aw. It’s okay,” she assured her. She placed a hand on her shoulder, trying to think of the right thing to say. “I mean, you’ve changed a lot since then,” she said, trying to sound encouraging.

“You mean since several weeks ago?” Peridot asked in response. “And then a few days ago when I completely messed things up again?”

Amethyst was starting to realize how much the two of them really had in common. She, like Peridot, had some rather unfortunate origins. She was a product of Homeworld, made to be a soldier for them. If she had emerged in the Kindergarten 500 years earlier, who knows what she would have gone on to do in Homeworld’s name.

Fortunately, she was found by Rose and the others and became a Crystal Gem. She went on to fight for good and to protect the Earth. Sometimes, however, she still viewed herself as a mistake. She imagined Peridot was having a similar crisis now; harboring a lot of resentment for her origins and regretting past actions.

“I think you’ve changed, even since then,” Amethyst said sincerely. “And I don’t even care about what you’ve done before. That’s not important now. You stuck with us and that’s all that matters.”

Peridot nodded solemnly, seemingly taking her words into consideration. Amethyst, who was still a bit sleepy, leaned over and affectionately rested her head on the other gem’s shoulder. Peridot chuckled softly, putting an arm around her and snuggling her closer.

After a moment or two of resting, Peridot began to gaze at the gem cuddling up to her. “What did I do to deserve you?” she asked.

Amethyst giggled. “I keep asking myself the same thing.”

“Why? What have you done wrong?”

“Ha! Are you kidding?” Amethyst laughed. She would eventually have to tell Peridot about some of the regrettable things she’d done. Like the time she took Steven to the Kindergarten was made in and subsequently fought Pearl there. Or the time she was angry with Greg and impulsively shapeshifted into Rose. “I’ve done my share of bad things,” she added in a voice that was quieter than usual.

Peridot kept staring at her. Though she held Amethyst in such high regard, it wasn’t difficult for her to imagine the quartz gem making mistakes at times. 

“Well, that doesn’t really matter to me, either,” Peridot told her. Tentatively, she leaned over and gave Amethyst a smooch on the side of her head, eliciting a giggle from the other gem.

They stayed like that for a while longer, peacefully watching the sunrise and listening to birds chirp in the distance. Peridot finally felt compelled to say something. 

“Amethyst,” she began. 

The purple gem shifted in order to look at her. “Hm?”

“I…I want to fuse with you.”

“Yeah?” Amethyst asked, sitting up. “Are you sure? Because I feel like I kinda got a little pushy last time.”

Peridot gently took hold of Amethyst’s hands. “Yes. I’m sure this time,” she said with confidence in her voice. “I just…I really want to know what it’s like. I want to know what it’s like to be that close to you, and to feel what it’s like to be a _part_ of you. You’re so amazing.” Gingerly, she brushed some Amethyst’s hair out of her face, looking into both her eyes. “I love you.”

“Jeez, Peri,” Amethyst said, averting her gaze a little and blushing. She was still getting used to the affection and admiration she had been receiving lately. “I love you, too.”

Peridot offered her a hand. Amethyst smiled as she took it, and they stood together off the ground. The two moved in closer to one another. There was no music this time as they began to dance. Moving in tandem, both simply did what felt right. They laughed and giggled, feeling completely at ease. Peridot felt that even if fusion didn’t work, she would still feel happy just being with Amethyst like this.

But soon enough, Peridot could feel the warmth of her gem beginning to glow. She glanced at Amethyst and could see hers’ was beginning to do the same. Without saying another word, Amethyst shot her a playful grin.

_Oh stars, this is it_ , was the last thing that crossed Peridot’s mind as the two gems suddenly became engulfed in a bright, glowing light.

After a couple of moments, the light that had overtaken their forms faded. They, or rather she, opened two sets of eyes for the first time. 

Looking down at herself to see what had happened, the fusion gasped at the appearance of her new form. A round gem of iridescent purple and green sat on her chest. When she reached up to her forehead, sure enough, she found a triangular gem as well.

The realization hit her fully. They had done it. They had fused.

A bit unsteady at first, the new fusion rose to her feet. “Woah…” she said to herself in an unfamiliar voice. She laughed. “We’re—I mean, I’m tall!”

She examined her two long arms, noting that her skin was now a soft shade of teal. The clothing she wore had aspects of both Amethyst’s and Peridot’s outfits, right down to a familiar white boot on one foot. Running her fingers over her hair, she could tell it was a shorter style and was flared at the ends. From what she could see, the strands alternated from a spearmint green to a dusky purple.

In addition to her new form, the fusion suddenly became aware of the powerful emotions that were now surging through her. Part of her was excited, and part of her was a bit scared. Then there was this other feeling that was overwhelming to her. It was a kind of warmth nestled within her being. It was a feeling of pure bliss. She felt protected and comforted knowing that as long as she was herself, she would never be alone. 

That’s when she realized that this feeling was the culmination of Peridot and Amethyst’s love for one another. _She_ was the product of their love.

“So this is what it’s like,” she said quietly to herself.

_THE END_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked the story! I may add a chapter sometime soon for kind of an “author’s commentary” about the personal meaning this story had to me. Also, I still love these smol rocks as much as I did when I started the story, so I’m still thinking about writing a sequel. However, I am starting graduate school soon so I’m not sure how much free time I will have once that starts. It may take longer between chapters. I heard I’ll be writing 20-page papers for that and unfortunately, that writing takes priority. Thank you for all your encouragement and for the kind reviews! You guys are awesome!
> 
> Update: If you liked this story, it has a sequel that is currently in progress! "We've Only Begun" is here: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7940149/chapters/18150691


End file.
